Everything is not what it Seems
by Lovelife66
Summary: Voldemort has taken over the wizarding world and everyone thinks that Harry is dead.  But he's not.  What will happen when he tries to prove that to his friends?  Will they believe him?  Will they be able to save the wizarding world or will they fail?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is my second story. I hope it will be more of a hit than my first one. Read and review please! Thanks!**

**GINNY'S POV:**

We were in all black and everyone was crying. Ron was holding Hermione. Dad was holding Mum. Everyone had someone to comfort them, except for me. My someone was in the white marble coffin in front of the crowd. Harry was dead, and there was nothing I could do about it. I didn't even get to say good-bye. Voldemort killed Harry Potter and now he has taken control of the wizard world. You may ask how we could let this happen. Well, how could we? Harry had gone alone to Voldemort and Hagrid had carried him back, lifeless and dead in his arms. Now, here we were, mourning his loss in secret, hiding from Voldemort, and the usual. We all slowly approached the coffin to say our final words. We gathered around his coffin and Ron stepped forward. "Harry was my best mate. We're going to miss you." He said. "Harry was like a brother to me. Good-bye, Harry." Hermione said. She ran back to Ron and buried her tear-streaked face in his shoulder. "He has saved our family many times. We could never thank him enough." Mum and dad said in unison. It was my turn to say something. I had been thinking of the most appropriate thing to say. I only had one idea. I stepped up to his coffin, kissed my fingertips, and laid my hand on his forehead. "I loved him."

**I know it's short, but it's kind of like an epilogue. Hope you like it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, I'm going to upload the second chapter with the first, since the first is short. Please review; it helps me to improve my writing! It also helps me update faster because it motivates me! **

**HARRY'S POV: ****2 Weeks Later**

Images flashed before my eyes and my eyelids fluttered. I remembered Ron and Hermione. I remembered Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I remembered Ginny. I remembered everything about her. I remember how she felt, how she smelled, how she looked, and what it felt like to kiss her. Then, I remembered that I was supposed to be dead. Voldemort had killed me, right? Was I in heaven? Would I see my parents again? Then I opened my eyes and tried to sit up. My forehead banged against something hard. It was so dark in here without my wand. I felt something long, thin, and wooden in my hand. My wand! I lifted my hand and whispered, "Lumos." Instantly, light flooded the area. Where was I? Voldemort must have put me in a box when he killed me. If I'm dead, can't I just float up and out? I struggled to remember any spell that would help me break free of my containment. Finally, one came to mind. "Defodio." I said confidently. Instantly I started to gouge out whatever this thing was made of. I finally began to see something besides rock and started digging more feverishly. I gouged out the last bit of rock and pushed away the pieces. I stood up and then I looked to the side. I gasped. I was underground! "Mobilicorpus." I said. I started to rise upwards. I finally made it to the top and pushed hard with my hands. I broke through and climbed out. I was in a cemetery. I turned around and my eyes rested on a tombstone that read, "Harry James Potter, gone but not forgotten." It also had his date of birth and date of death. Now he understood. He had been buried. He had been buried because everyone thought that Voldemort had killed him. To the rest of the world, Harry Potter was no more.

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

It had been two weeks since Harry's funeral. Ginny was not handling it well. Quite frankly, no one was. Harry had been the wizarding world's last hope of defeating Voldemort, and now he was gone. These days, we ran and hid. We never stayed in one place for more than two weeks. We were always on the move. My parents were safely at home, oblivious to the horrors of the world around them. I had hoped that, one day, I could return home, but it didn't look like that would be happening anytime soon. Death Eaters were everywhere. We couldn't be sure when we were going to be caught or when we were going to get to the next location without being caught. Last week, we received word that Luna and Mr. Lovegood had been captured by Death Eaters. I fear the worst. The pain of losing Harry is too much to bear. No one is safe anymore. The world will never be the same.

**This chapter was longer and, I hope, better! I know that many of you know what Lumos is, but a lot of you may not know what the other two I used are. Those spells are, in fact, real spells used in the Harry Potter books and movies. Defodio was used when Harry, Ron, and Hermione dug there way out of Gringotts and Mobilicorpus was used on Severus Snape by Sirius Black in the Prisoner of Azkaban. I just wanted to clear that up. **** Hope you're enjoying it so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own and of the Harry Potter characters or anything else that J.K. Rowling created. I meant to put that before the first chapter.**

**HARRY'S POV:**

I looked around the cemetery. It was dark and cold. Where was I? I stepped around headstones cautiously and quickly. Many of the headstones were broken and many were nonexistent. The earth was torn up around me. I walked towards the gate and then ducked behind the bushes. Someone was coming towards the gate. Then I realized that it wasn't a someone, it was a something. They were inferi that Voldemort had created. That's why the earth had been ripped up. They were eerily silent as they glided up to the gate. I held my breath for a fraction of second and waited for them to pass. After about of minute, they glided on down the road towards a house. I waited until they were inside and then I whispered, "Muffliato." I pushed open the gate and continued in the direction that the inferi had come from, sticking to behind the trees and between houses. Everything was so familiar, and I didn't know why. Up ahead, I saw a large stone that was inscripted with the name of the neighborhood. As I neared it, I could make out what it said. Godric's Hollow. I had been buried in my birthplace and the place where my parents died. Inferi had invaded my sanctuary. I had no idea how to get to the burrow. The cemetery was my only hope. I turned around and ran, not stopping for even a second. As I neared the cemetery, I saw someone walking towards my former grave. The long red hair gave her away in a second. It was Ginny Weasley. She was walking towards the grave that I had just made a mess of. I walked up closer to her. She stopped for a second, sensing a presence behind her. It was me, of course. I tried to run, but it was too late. "Harry?"

**GINNY'S POV:**

"Harry?" I said uncertainly. "Ginny." He breathed. Then he ran. "Harry! Wait, come back! Please, Harry, please come back! We need you." I called. It was no use, he was gone. I thought about going back and telling everyone that I had seen him, but no one would believe me. Everyone had seen his body and shed tears over him. No one would believe that I had seen him alive and unharmed. After all, Voldemort had used the killing curse. Could he have survived it a second time? It was impossible, yet there he had been, right in front of me. I needed to find him and tell him where to find us if he ever wanted to come back. Where had he gone? I searched for the next hour all over the area, but saw no sign of him. Mum was probably worried sick. I apparated back to our secure location. "Ginny! Where have you been?" Mum yelled just as I appeared. "I was out for a little while, visiting Harry's grave. I wasn't in any danger! I was careful." I answered her. "Ginny, Mum's been worried sick; you can't just leave without telling anyone." Ron said. "Oh stay out of it, Ron. It's not like you ever tell her anything." I snapped. I immediately felt bad about saying, but I kept my mouth shut because I was being yelled at again. "Don't talk to your brother like that! You can't just leave, Ginny. What would happen if Death eaters captured you and we didn't know that you had left? We would never know what happened." Mum said. "Look, I know, I know, but I need to tell you something." I said. "What?" asked Ron. "I saw Harry. He's alive"

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

Harry was alive? He couldn't be. I saw his body with my own eyes. I had cried at his funeral, everyone had been there and seen him dead. "How do you know it wasn't someone impersonating him?" I asked. "He's alive, I know he is. I saw him with my own 2 eyes. I'm telling the truth." Ginny said to me. "It just doesn't add up, Ginny. He-who-must-not-be-named killed him." Mrs. Weasley said. "I believe her, Mum. Harry survived the killing curse once. Couldn't he survive it again?" Ron said. "Now, hold on a minute. We can't just all say Harry's alive and go look for him." Mr. Weasley said. "I believe her, too. If no one else wants to go, then Ron and I will go with her." I said softly. "He just needs to know that he can come back. Maybe he'll come back with us. We need him." Said Ginny. Mrs. Weasley looked uneasy. "I don't know. It's very dangerous." She said, "We can do it, Mum. I know we can. Said Ron. "Alright, you'll go tomorrow night. No earlier than that." Mrs. Weasley. Would we find him? I hoped so.

**So, I'm not British, but I know that the Harry Potter books are set in London. I also know that the characters called their mother Mum. I just wanted to make it as authentic as possible. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else that J.K. Rowling created.**

**RON'S POV:**

We headed out as soon as the sun sank behind the horizon. Mum wouldn't let us leave any sooner. Actually, I was glad to finally get out, even if it was just for a little while. We apparated to Godric's Hollow, where we had buried Harry. Ginny pulled Hermione and I towards the cemetery. We cut through bushes and took the dark, unused paths between houses. We finally reached his grave and the earth was torn up. Ginny was right. Harry was alive. I was so happy, I hugged her! "Where do we look first, Ginny?" I asked her. "We need to look here in the cemetery, first. Then we'll move on to other places." She answered. "Ginny, have you ever thought that maybe he left Godric's Hollow? He can't very well stay in one place for too long." said Hermione. She made a point, but we scoured the area for hours. We looked in alleys and empty houses. We even tried the accio charm on him. It was no use. We couldn't find him. "We should leave Harry a note or a message. That way, he'll know where to find us." Said Ginny. Poor Ginny, Harry's death had affected her the most. "Ginny, I don't know if that's such a good idea. Anyone could read it if they found it." Said Hermione. Hermione was always the voice of reason, but for once, I agreed with Ginny. "Hermione, he at least deserves that much." I said. Hermione reluctantly agreed, but we were very discreet as to where we put the note. We put it in front of his grave, partially hidden by grass. As we were walking back to the forest, Hermione said, "Uh-oh. There are some Inferi over there. Come on guys, we need to get to the woods." She said as she started walking. We started walking towards the forest, but it was too late. Inferi were coming from the forest, too. They were all gliding towards us in slow-motion. "Wands out." Ginny commanded. We pulled our wands out as the Inferi got closer. They were closing in on us fast. We were surrounded.

**GINNY'S POV: **

The Inferi were surrounding us. There was no way we could use spells without being heard by others. "Silent spells silent spells." Hermione chanted under her breath. All at once, spells flashed around us and Inferi were thrown in all directions, but they just kept coming. Not only were there Inferi, there were also muggles that had been put under the imperious curse. Innocent muggles were being used? "Don't kill them, just stun them. I don't want innocent people to die." I said softly. We continued shooting spells at the Inferi and the muggles. "Stupefy!" yelled Ron. Two muggles flew back into the forest. My eyes flickered to the right for a few seconds and I saw some figures coming towards us. "Ron! Death eaters are coming!" I yelled. Right then, Avery, Dolohov, and Lestrange came out into the clearing and started blasting muggles away. "Ahh, look. It's Harry Potter's little friends. What are you going to do now that he isn't here to save you?" asked Lestrange sinisterly. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione yelled. Lestrange's wand few from his hand. He growled and yelled, "Get them!" We thought the fight was over, but it had really just begun.

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

After I had disarmed Lestrange, Avery and Dolohov came at us. It was two against three but I didn't underestimate either of them. "Crucio!" Avery yelled and pointed his wand towards me. Instantly Ron jumped in front of me and yelled, "Protego!" Ginny was fighting Dolohov on her own. "Stupefy!" she yelled. He flew backwards and knocked into Lestrange, who had just found his wand. I pointed my wand at Lestrange and yelled, "Expelliarmus!" His wand flew from his hand yet again. Dolohov was out cold. Ginny pulled him into the forest and left him there. She ran back to help us fight Lestrange and Avery. "Stupefy!" yelled Avery. The curse hit Ginny squarely in the chest and she was thrown back, unconscious. "Ginny!" yelled Ron. I pointed my wand at Avery, who had his back turned and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" He immediately went rigid and fell over. Lestrange was he last one left, but he was obviously not giving up. We shot curses back and forth at each other, but we couldn't break him. All of the sudden, he became rigid and fell over. Neither of us had cast the body-bind curse. We looked over at Ginny. She was out cold. Ron and I stood back to back and held out our wands. Then I saw who had cast the spell. "Harry!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Same as previous chapter.**

**HARRY'S POV:**

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny? "Hermione?" I asked. "Harry! It's so good to see you again! We thought you were dead." Hermione said and she hugged me. "Yeah, I gathered that. I woke up in a coffin and had to dig my way out." I said. Ron laughed and came over to me. "Hey, we just wanted to do it properly." He said, laughing. Then I realized that Ginny wasn't standing with them. "Ginny, where is she?" I asked. Hermione wordlessly motioned over to where she was laying. "She was stunned by Avery, and then we did the body-bind curse on him as revenge." Ron said. He kneeled besides her and took out his wand, still in perfect condition. "Rennervate." I whispered. After a few minutes, Ginny stirred and opened her eyes. She sat up slowly. "Harry?" she whispered. "Ginny." I said softly. I helped her to a standing position, and then she wrapped her arms around my neck. It was wonderful to have her near me again. "I've missed you, Harry." She whispered in my ear. All I wanted right now was to kiss her, but I wasn't going to because we needed to get out of here before reinforcements came. "Shouldn't we go now? What if some finds us?" I asked Ginny. "Right, we should go." She said. She took my hand firmly in hers and we ran back to Ron and Hermione. We immediately apparated back to their camp. When we arrived, Mrs. Weasley practically suffocated me. "Oh, Harry! We thought you were dead, but you're here!" she said. "Hello, my good boy! Glad to see that you're alive and well!" said Mr. Weasley. He chuckled to himself and left Harry with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "Come on, dear. Let's leave these three to catch up, shall we?" Mr. Weasley said to Mrs. Weasley. "Oh, Harry! It's so great to see you again!" squealed Hermione for about the 100th time. She was about to say something else, but I stopped her with a question. "Guys, what happened? What happened to this place while I was "dead?" I asked. They looked at each other for a minute and then Hermione spoke up. "Harry," she said. "After you died, Voldemort took over. He tore up the graves in Godric's Hollow." All of the graves were torn up? "What about my parents' graves? What happened to them?" I demanded. "We were able to save your parents' graves. They are still underground." Said Ginny. "So, you guys are hiding out, then? What about those innocent muggles the death eaters are using? Do they know what's happening? Why haven't you done anything?" I demanded angrily. "We couldn't do anything. Voldemort has lots of our friends and there's nothing we can do about it." Said Ron. "Luna and Mr. Lovegood, Neville and his grandmother, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnagin." Hermione said. "We don't know if they are alive or dead or being tortured." Now I understood. Voldemort wasn't just taking over the wizard world; he was taking over the entire world, magic and non-magic. "Alright then, now that I'm back, what are we going to do about it?" I asked.

**RON'S POV:**

He was crazy. Sure, he was my friend, but he was crazy. 'What are we going to do about it? Voldemort thinks your dead! If he finds out that your not, we're toast." I said. "Well, we'll have to make sure that he doesn't know I'm alive. Where's my invisibility cloak?" Harry asked. "It's around. Mrs. Weasley thought we would sneak out, so she hid the cloak." Hermione said. "Ok, so new plan. Find the cloak." Harry said. We split up to look for it. We searched for about half an hour, but Ginny was the one who struck gold. "Here it is!" she said. She had done a few complicated spells, but her hard work had paid off. "Ok, so what's the plan, Harry?" she asked. Ginny practically glowed whenever she said his name. "Well, the ministry is the first place we need to go. Then Hogwarts. I have to find that snake." Harry said. He had meant to kill the snake when he met Voldemort in the forest, but Voldemort had "killed" him first. "The ministry? Hogwarts?" Hermione questioned. "Why would you look there?" "Because Hogwarts was his home; he loved it there. The ministry is most likely where his death eaters will be, questioning muggle-borns and half bloods." Said Harry. "What will Mum say?" I asked Ginny. "She doesn't have to know. Neither does Dad." Ginny said. Ginny looked terrified, but I knew that we couldn't convince her to stay behind. Whatever Harry did, she would do. "Ok, so the ministry is first. Anyone have any idea how to get in?" I asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**There's a little Harry/Ginny fluffiness at the beginning of this chapter. I hope you like it!**

**HARRY'S POV:**

Later that night, I settled into the sleeping bag that the Weasleys had loaned me, unable to sleep. The events of the day were still fresh in my mind. I quietly slipped out of my sleeping bag and went outside the tent, where I knew Ginny and Hermione were keeping watch. I walked out and Hermione jumped. "Oh, Harry, it's just you." She said. "You can go sleep Hermione; I'll take over watch with Ginny." I said. Hermione smiled and thanked him. He sat down next to Ginny, who was staring silently at the sky. "Hi, Harry." She whispered. "Hey, Ginny." I answered. "I, I really missed you. We all did." She said. "I missed you too, Ginny." I answered. All I wanted to do was to lean over and kiss her. I wanted to feel her arms around me. We sat in silence for a few minutes. After about 20 minutes, I said, "Ginny, you can go inside and wake up Ron. You look tired." I said as I stood up. I held out my hand and she took it. Her hand was warm in mine. All of the sudden, she put her arms around me. I was surprised, but I didn't push her away. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Ginny." I whispered. I leaned towards her and kissed her lips softly. She kissed me back. After a few seconds, we pulled away. She smiled at me. "Good night, Harry." She whispered in my ear. I kissed her cheek and smiled back. "Good night, Ginny." I whispered. The kiss had only lasted a few seconds, but it had left me dizzy. As I waited for Ron, I felt like all was right in the world, at least, for a moment.

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

The next morning came quickly and I woke up still tired and nervous about today's events. The plan we had come up with yesterday was not foolproof, but it was all we had. I got out of bed and went over to shake Ginny. She woke up with a dreamy smile on her face. She got out of bed and we dressed quickly. We met Harry and Ron outside and after we fed the lie we had come up with to Mrs. Weasley and left. We apparated and as we landed, Ron grabbed my hand protectively. We walked quickly towards the ministry entrance, taking alleyways and back roads. As we neared the entrance, we found 3 ministry members stunned and waiting. We got out the polyjuice potion and Ginny, Ron, and I drank. Harry got out his invisibility cloak and covered himself. The plan was in full swing. The hardest part was getting in, but we managed just fine. Harry followed close behind Ginny. Ron and I headed towards the former Minister of Magic's office and Ginny and Harry headed to the courts under the building. When we got to the floor where the office was, we got separated. Ron gave me a look, but there was nothing we could do. I was alone in the ministry. I hoped that I would somehow meet up with Harry or Ginny. I was being pushed by the crowd in the complete opposite direction as Ron. Our mission would be foiled if we weren't together. From the direction we were headed, I heard screams. I was trapped.

**GINNY'S POV:**

Harry and I headed into the elevator and into the courts. From the adjoining court rooms, I heard trials being held and screams as people were being dragged out by dementors. I shuddered as I continued down the hall. Harry ducked into every court room while I kept walking. When we left the court area, I whispered, "Was he there?" "No, he wasn't there. I just hope that Ron and Hermione had better luck than we did." He answered. We entered the elevator and waited for it to reach the lobby. When we left the elevator we heard screaming and we saw people running. "What's going on?" Harry asked me. "I don't know." I answered. "I don't like it though." We pushed through the crowd. Someone came up next to me and said, "I've lost Hermione! I don't know where she is." "Ron? Is that you?" I asked. "Yeah, it's me. We have to find her. She's muggle born and she lost inside the ministry by herself." Ron said. We continued pushing through the crowds looking for someone. Ron was the only one who remembered what she looked like. I looked at the big clock and my eyes widened. "Ron, we have ten minutes to get out of here before the polyjuice wears off. We've got to hurry." I said. "But, Hermione! Where is she?" Ron said. He looked worried. It's not like no one had noticed how close he and Hermione had become. He never let go of her hand and they were always talking and laughing, even when the outlook was grim. "We'll find her, Ron. I know we will." I tried to reassure him. We desperately continued our search, but it was in vain. Ron was becoming frantic and our time was running out. All of the sudden, a voice spoke over the loudspeaker. It was a voice that we knew well. "Attention ministry workers, we have received word that Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley have infiltrated the ministry. Do all in your power to bring them justice. That is all." Said Lucius Malfoy. We were being hunted by the entire ministry and Hermione was missing.


	7. Chapter 7

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

I didn't know where Ron, Ginny, or Harry was. I looked at the big clock and realized that we had 5 minutes before the polyjuice potion wore off. I made my way towards an exit and hoped that they would get out in time. I looked around for any open exit and saw that the way we came in before was not being guarded. I walked with a crowd of people, but snuck away when we got close enough to the exit. I stepped into the phone booth and pressed the right buttons and it rose. I walked back to where we had left our stuff. I waited for about 5 minutes and became worried when they didn't show up. My polyjuice had already worn off! Where could they be? I decided that the best thing to do would be to apparate back to the campsite. I stopped a muggle walking by and gave them a note. I instructed him to give it to a red haired boy and girl that would look like siblings. I apparated back to the campsite. Mrs. Weasley was running over as soon as she saw me. "Where have you been?" she demanded. "Where are Harry, Ron, and Ginny?" I couldn't think of anything to say but the truth. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm sorry, but we've been at the ministry looking for you-know-who and Harry, Ron, and Ginny are still there. I'm afraid that their polyjuice has worn off, but I'm sure they will be here soon." I said. She looked like steam was going to blow from her ears. "You must never do that again! You will be killed on the spot of they catch you. I couldn't bear to lose any of you." She said. She took me back inside the tent and started packing up her stuff. "Mrs. Weasley, may I ask what you're doing?" I said. "As soon as they get back, we must move to a new location. It's the safest option right now." She said. "Can you go pack up yours and Ginny's things?" she asked me before continuing her packing. I walked quickly back to the tent and began gathering our things. I threw them in my beaded bag and then I took down the tent and put it in there, too. Ron, Harry, and Ginny still weren't back. I was afraid that I would never see them again. I walked back to where the boys' tent had once stood. Mrs. Weasley had packed that, too. She was pacing, which meant that she was worried, too. I was about to suggest that we leave something behind to let them know where we were going, but a loud crack behind me distracted me. "What's going on?" Ron asked. "Where are we going?" "Ron! You're alright!" I yelled.

**RON'S POV:**

"Of course I'm alright, Hermione. We made it out just in time." I said. She ran up to me and her hand curled around mine. I turned to face her and wrapped her up in a hug. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm sorry that I lost you." I said. She put her head on my shoulder and said, "It's not your fault, Ron." I smiled and hugged her tighter. When we finally let go, I asked my question again. "Where are we going?" "We're moving locations as soon as Mr. Weasley gets back. He's been scouting all day." Hermione answered me. I nodded and turned my attention to Harry and Ginny. "Did you guys find anything?" I asked. "Nothing. He wasn't in any of the court rooms. It's like he's trying to stay out of the action." Harry said. "Maybe he is. Maybe he's under control, but the Death Eaters do all of his dirty work." Reasoned Hermione. I have to admit, that made sense. We hadn't seen or heard anything about him since the day after Harry's "funeral." What if he wasn't in any of the places we checked? If he wasn't at Hogwarts, we had no other ideas. The key to the end of Voldemort's life is to kill the snake. The snake is the last horcrux. All we had to do was kill the snake, and, of course, Voldemort. I pulled Harry aside right before we left the campsite. "Harry, what's our next move? When are we going to Hogwarts?" I asked him. "I'm not sure if Hogwarts is really where we need to be. I don't think that he would hide out there." He answered. It made sense. Why would he hide at Hogwarts? There were probably more kids there who didn't like him than kids that did. "Alright, we'll talk later." I said. Dad told us where to apparate to and we left. All I was thinking about was how bad it would be to lose Hermione. It was dangerous for her, being muggle-born and all. We had to have a better plan. I know Harry is worried about Ginny, but Ginny, being Ginny, won't take no for an answer. All I know is that we needed to do something fast. Voldemort was controlling the wizard and everything that we love will be destroyed if he isn't stopped.

**So, I guess there was a little Ron/Hermione fluffiness towards the end. I hope you like it so far**** Please, please, please review! It really does brighten the writer's day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**GINNY'S POV:**

Every since Harry and I kissed 2 nights ago, I feel as if I'm floating. It doesn't help the fact that I needed to concentrate on planning our break-in at Hogwarts. He is all I can think about. With our trip to Hogwarts around the corner, I couldn't be distracted by something as trivial as true love. Unfortunately, my mind had other ideas. Every time I was near Harry, all I thought about was the kiss. I thought about they way his hair felt in my fingers and the warmth of his arms around me. "Ginny? Ginny? Earth to Ginny!" shouted Hermione. "What? Oh, sorry. I got distracted." I answered. My face turned a deep shade of red as Harry laughed quietly. Ron, on the other hand, laughed loudly. I glared at him and he shut up immediately. Harry reached under the table and squeezed my hand. My face felt warm and I knew I was blushing. "As I was saying, before I was interrupted, what is our plan so far?" Hermione continued. "As of this moment, we have no plan, Hermione." Ron said. It was true. Our plan at the ministry had failed miserably. We hadn't used enough polyjuice potion, so we didn't have enough time to thoroughly check the place. Everyone is blaming themselves for the failing of the mission, but really, no one is at fault. "I have an idea." Said Harry. Everyone turned to look at him. "We need to find 4 students that will not be missed for at least 2 hours. Our best bet would be with 6th or 7th years that have lunch and then a free period." He finished. Everyone stared at him. His idea was the idea we were looking for. "Oh, Harry! That's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?" said Hermione. The only problem was that all of the students there were either children of death eaters or purebloods (minus the Weasleys). We needed to find 4 average or below average students that could go missing for 2 hours without anyone noticing. Hermione flipped through a few books and Harry, Ron, and I made lists of students and went through it crossing names out and circling some. We finally settled on four 6th years whose names I'd never heard of. The only problem was getting into the school. The only problem was getting into the school. We only had Harry's cloak. We would figure it out. If we didn't find him at Hogwarts, we were stuck and we knew it.

**HARRY'S POV:**

Since I had gotten back, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and I had taken over watch. Ginny and I were scheduled to take watch together again. Ron and Hermione went inside their tents to sleep and Ginny and I sat under the tree in front of our campsite. We sat in silence for a few seconds. I was thinking about the plan. Would it work? Would we be able to get in and out without getting noticed? Maybe, maybe not. Ginny broke the silence. "Are you scared, Harry?" she asked. I jumped, startled by the sudden noise. I recovered quickly and answered her. "A little bit. Are you?" I answered. "Yeah." She answered. We were quiet for a few minutes. I was sad for Ginny. She missed being able to go places with friends. We had never even been on a date. My heart ached for her. Sometimes, when I could see that she was in pain, I just wanted to hold her close to me. She moved closer to me and put her warm hand in mine. I squeezed it and we sat there for a few minutes. After awhile, she stood up to stretch her legs. I stood up, too. She moved closer to me and put her arms around my waist and laid her head on my chest. I hugged her close. She looked up at me and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to kiss her. I gave into that urge as my lips crushed hers. She kissed me back. Her lips were soft against mine as her they moved with mine. After a few minutes we broke apart and sat back down under the tree. She laid her head on my shoulder as I cradled her in my arms. I was finally feeling like we belonged together and I hoped it stayed that way.

**GINNY'S POV:**

After kissing Harry under that tree, I felt like I was walking on air. Scratch that, I felt like I was floating. I desperately wished that this whole war thing was behind us so that we could be together, but it wasn't. It was going full force and it seemed like there was no end. As I laid there cradled in Harry's arms, this is what I thought about. I didn't know I had dozed until I felt his lips on my forehead. "Ginny," he whispered. "You can go to bed now. Ron is here." I sat up and took his hand. He pulled my up. I yawned as I headed back to my tent. "Night, Harry." I called. He turned towards me. "Night, Ginny." He called back. I went into the tent and collapsed on the bed. "Ginny, is that you?" Hermione whispered. I jumped, remembering that Hermione was here. "Yeah, it's me." I answered. She sat up. She looked deathly tired, but she also looked like she had been crying. "Hermione, are you okay?" I asked her. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." She answered. It was lie and she knew I knew it was a lie, but she didn't say anything else. "Ginny?" she said. "Yes?" I answered. "Did you kiss Harry?" She asked tentatively. I was startled by her question. Why did she want to know? I decided to answer her truthfully. "Yes, I did. Why?" I answered her. "I was just wondering. I mean, it's taken you two long enough." She said. She stopped there, realizing she might be going too far. "Have you kissed Ron?" I asked. She had an embarrassed expression on her face. "Well, actually, no. We haven't." she answered truthfully. I was taken aback. They hadn't? I guess they were taking it slow. "I mean, we just recently admitted our feelings for each other. I guess we just don't want to take it too fast." She said. We were both silent after that comment. I didn't realize how tired I was until my eyelids started drooping. I fell back on the bed and fell asleep instantly; my dreams haunted by possibilities of what could go wrong tomorrow.

**So, this was sort of a fluffy chapter, but I felt like it should be there. I hope you like it!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I know that it's taken me awhile to get this updated, but I've been so busy lately. Anyways, I am in desperate need of a Beta because I need to be better with my paragraph formation. I think that people may have a hard time reading this because of the formatting. I'm new at this so I have no idea how Beta works. If you want to be my Beta, just inbox me and I'll try to figure it ou****Thanks! Enjoy the story!**

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

After my conversation with Ginny the previous night, I thought things would be awkward between us, but she acted like it had never happened. The one thing still bothering me about the conversation was her question. "Have you kissed Ron?" she had asked me. We haven't kissed and, sure, I wished we had but we haven't. So why was the question bothering me? Was it because Harry and Ginny were all touchy-feely now? They weren't like that in a weird way; it just was…how do I put this? It was just different. They went from not talking at all to holding hands and kissing under trees and such. But that's not the point. When he saved me from Bellatrix Lestrange earlier this year, I had thought that it was the perfect time for him to kiss me, but he hadn't. Now we were headed of to break into the school that we had once called home, Hogwarts, together.

That reminds me, the mission. This was probably the most dangerous place to break into right now. All of the teachers were Death Eaters and all of the students were either pure-bloods, children of Death Eaters, or people who paid lots of gold to get into the school. It was dangerous for all of us.

Ron may be a pure-blood but, as a Weasley, he was just as "bad" as half-bloods or muggle-borns.

As for the teachers, Snape, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Fenrir Greyback, and Antonin Dolohov were among some of the teachers that Snape had hired to teach. Professor McGonagall was still there, but what was she doing? No one knew. If we could find her, she was our ticket around the castle. As far as we knew, she had access to every room in the castle.

"Professor McGonagall is the key." I said aloud, not realizing it. Everyone stared at me.

"Uhh, Hermione?" asked Ron.

I looked up. "Huh?" I said.

"You just said something about McGonagall." Said Ginny in a worried voice.

I blinked a few times, trying to think about why I had said that, and then I remembered. "Right, sorry, I was just going over the plan in my head. How exactly are we going to find McGonagall?" I said.

"Well…I really don't know." Harry said.

That was one thing that we hadn't thought through very well. We were playing it by ear. The one thing different about this trip was that Mrs. Weasley knew where we were going. She wasn't happy about it, but she was still letting us go.

"Come on, guys. We need to go." Ron said. I looked around the campsite. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were packing because we were leaving this site right after we returned from our mission.

"Let's go." I said.

**RON'S POV:**

When we apparated, we apparated to right outside of the castle grounds. We started walking towards Hogsmeade. Harry gripped Ginny's hand in his and I wished that I was holding Hermione's hand. I reached my hand towards hers and they touched. She looked startled but she took it. Her hand was warm in mine. It felt like it was supposed to be there.

We walked at a brisk pace on the outskirts of Hogsmeade towards a back entrance to the Shrieking Shack. We reached the house and circled it a few times to make sure that it was empty. We entered the house.

Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and whispered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Immediately, names appeared on the map. Hermione, Ginny, and I looked on over his shoulder. There were lots of people out and about around the castle. Most of the teachers were inside their classrooms which was good for us.

We entered the tunnel which took us up through the ground and dumped us right in front of the Whomping Willow. We threw the cloak over us, even though it was far too small for us all to fit. We looked up at the castle and I felt sad. Hogwarts had always been a place where I could escape to.

Ever since Dumbledore had died, Hogwarts wasn't safe. We had spent our entire seventh year trying to stop Voldemort and all of our efforts had failed. When we thought Harry had died, we lost all hope. Now Harry was back and we were more determined than ever to stop Voldemort.

As we approached the school, we became more cautious. The cloak may mask us, but it doesn't mask any sounds we might make. The school looked eerie, even in the light. We stood near the door and when it opened, we rushed inside before it shut on us. We had done it. The second hardest part of our mission was getting in. Now we had to focus on one of the more complicated ones, not getting caught. I wish that there was a spell that could make us invisible. If there was one, I didn't know it. No one was holding hands anymore. We needed our hands free to use our wands.

We cautiously moved through the castle, looking for McGonagall. Every move we made I feared would be our last. We made it through the student hallways and into the 3rd floor corridor we had discovered in our 2nd year here. We were absolutely quiet as we moved along the wall. I heard footsteps behind us. We froze and my heart started pounding so hard I was afraid that whoever it was could hear it. They got closer and closer until they stopped right in front of us. "Harry? Harry Potter? Is that you?"

**Well, what do you think? Good, bad? I'm really not sure how long this story is going to be, but I'll keep writing it until I feel like it should end**


	10. Chapter 10

**HARRY'S POV:**

"Harry! My dear boy, it's been too long!" said Professor McGonagall.

I heard Ron breath a sigh of relief. My heart stopped pounding and a smile crept across my face.

"How did you know it was us, Professor?" I asked.

"You own the only invisibility cloak around, Harry, dear." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Professor, we need to speak to you in private." said Hermione.

"Hermione Granger? Is that you, as well? Who else is here?" she said in disbelief.

"I'm here, Professor. It's me, Ron Weasley. Ginny's here, too." said Ron.

"Yes, I'm here, but Hermione's right. We need to speak to you." Ginny said.

"Very well. Right this way. Quickly and quietly, please." McGonagall said.

She led us down the hall and ushered us through a doorway. "You can take off the cloak, now. Keep it close, just in case." She said. She directed us to a couch and we sat down. "Now, what is it that you needed to discuss with me?" she asked.

"We were wondering if you had heard anything concerning the whereabouts of he-who-must-not-be-named." said Ron.

Professor McGonagall looked at all of us for a few seconds and then began to speak. "I must admit, I haven't." she said.

My heart sank. She had been our only hope.

"There is one thing I do know. Severus keeps in close contact with him. He and the other Death Eaters have regular meetings with him. Where they meet is an entirely different story." she finished.

She had given us very valuable information. So the traitor was still speaking to Voldemort. "Why are you still here, Professor?" I asked. I realized how rude that question must sound, but she answered me anyway.

"I really have nowhere else to go. If I leave the castle, I am no longer under the protection of Severus Snape. I am a free target for any roaming Death Eater." She said. "I assume that you are in hiding?" she continued.

We nodded and looked around anxiously. "I can see that you are very worried, but I'm afraid you can't leave just yet." McGonagall said.

I sucked in a breath. Was McGonagall a traitor, too? She continued talking, "The hour is almost over and the teachers will be in the halls for a period of time. Fortunately for you four, Severus teaches a class. He will not be in the halls when you leave."

We breathed a sigh of relief. We sat and waited for the okay from McGonagall. At long last, she said that we were free to go. Right as we were about to throw the cloak over ourselves, the door burst open. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" said a voice.

**GINNY'S POV:**

I gasped. There in the doorway stood Snape and his fellow Death Eater, Dolohov. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I drew our wands. I looked in McGonagall's direction. She, too, had her wand at the ready. As Snape and Dolohov entered the room, Amycus Carrow, and Alecto Carrow, and Lestrange filed in. It was an even match, five against five, but there skills far outmatched ours. I looked anxiously over at Harry and he forced a weak smile to his face to try and reassure me that everything would be ok.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Harry Potter and his little friends." Snape said. He shot a dark look at Professor McGonagall and immediately, she knew she had been caught.

"I assure you, Severus, I was not assisting them. I was merely detaining them until your class was over." McGonagall said.

"Likely story, Minerva, but I'm afraid that I don't believe you." Snape sneered. Snape advanced on Professor McGonagall with his wand drawn.

"Professor!" I yelled. "Watch out!"

Professor McGonagall readied her wand and called to us, "Don't let them get you! They'll kill you on the spot. I hope that I'll see you again someday. One day we'll be free."

Harry motioned us towards the door, but stopped short because our exit was blocked by Dolohov, Lestrange, and the Carrows. "I've got Lestrange. Pick your opponent and battle your way out." Harry said. He wore a worried expression on his face.

I turned to find myself face to face with Amycus Carrow. I readied my wand and started yelling curses. Curses flew all over the room. "Expelliarmus!" I called.

"Protego!" yelled Amycus. He smiled evily. I spared a second to look around the room. Ron was fighting Alecto Carrow, Hermione was fighting Dolohov, and Harry was fighting Lestrange.

"Petrificus Totalus!" someone called. I felt myself being thrown backwards and then I felt nothing.

**HARRY'S POV:**

My heart stopped when I saw Ginny being thrown backwards. I tried to get to her, but Lestrange pointed his wand at me.

"You want her, you've got to get through me and him." He said as he pointed over to Dolohov.

I could easily fend off Dolohov, but him and Lestrange? I spared a glance in Ginny's direction. She was not stirring. I was shaking with fury. Something was terribly wrong. This was not me. I could easily get through a fight without becoming upset. That's when I realized why I was upset. They had hurt Ginny. My Ginny, the Ginny that I loved.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted. Dolohov was taken by surprise and he was down in an instant.

"You think you're clever, boy? You think that you can win?" he taunted. "I was trained by Lord Voldemort himself. I know all of his tricks. This is no longer a game, this is real. You're just a boy, too young to protect yourself against us." He laughed loudly.

"What makes you think that he is alone?" Hermione said. I looked back at her. She was bleeding and Ron was limping beside her. Professor McGonagall was dealing with Snape and Ginny was starting to stir.

Lestrange aimed his wand in Hermione's direction. "Cruc-"he started.

I interrupted him and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!"

He was down in a second. I breathed a sigh of relief. I walked over to Ginny who was sitting up against the wall and offered her my hand. She took it gratefully, but instead of getting up, she pulled me down. I sat down next to her and took her hand.

"Are you okay, Ginny?" I asked her. Her eyes had fear in them.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just hit my head on the floor, that's all." She answered. She could tell I wasn't convinced, but she looked at the floor. There was an awkward silence.

A voice startled me. "Harry, dear, you need to get out. Other death eaters may swarm the castle in minutes." said Professor McGonagall.

"What about you, Professor? You aren't safe here anymore." Hermione said.

"Come with us. We can't just leave you here." Ginny said. Her voice still sounded shaky and weak.

"I need to find my own family, children. That is, if they are still alive. Now, you really must be going. Maybe someday, we'll meet again." McGonagall said.

We threw the invisibility cloak over us and took off down the hall. Using the Marauder's Map, we navigated safely out of the castle. We had to get back to the camp and warn the Weasley's before we were all discovered and killed.


	11. Chapter 11

**I hope that I nailed that last chapter. Fight scenes are hard to write! I'm also still looking for a Beta. As I said before, just send me a private message and I'll be really grateful**** Thanks again for reading my story. I really enjoy reviews so if you could take the time to review, it would help me out a lot!**

**HERMIONE'S POV:**

When we got home, we warned the Weasley's and they immediately began packing things up and advised us to do the same. It took us all of about a half hour and then we moved on.

When we had set up camp and I was sitting on my bed in the tent, I realized how close that had been.

I was scared, so scared. We had never been that close to being exposed since we went into hiding. We needed to stop this; it was getting too dangerous.

Harry would disagree, though. I know he would because that's how he is. He won't give up until he's solved his problem. He might listen to me if Ginny sided with me. I knew how he felt about her. If she seemed worried, he would listen.

I decided to confront her about it. I thought over my plan for a few minutes and I was ready when she decided to come to the tent.

"Ginny, can I talk to you about something?" I asked her.

"Yeah, anything. What's wrong?" she said. She looked worried.

"The thing is, I think that these…ummm…expeditions that we go on are getting too dangerous. I think that we need to stop them immediately." I said. I had a worried look on my face.

"Well, I agree, but we won't be safe until He-who-must-not-be-named is gone for good. We can't quit on Harry now." She said.

"I wasn't thinking about abandoning Harry. I wanted Harry to stop, too. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I'm tired of all this running. If we stay out of the news, we can stay put for awhile." I said.

"Well, why do you need to talk to me about it then? Go talk to Harry." She said. She turned to walk out, but I stopped her.

"He won't side with me. He'll agree with you over me. I need you on my side. He'll listen if you're worried." I said. I stopped talking as I took her expression in. It was a mix of anger, hurt, and she looked scared.

"So, you want me to lie to Harry so that he stops what he's doing? He's doing good for the wizarding world! He's trying to help. Saving the world may not matter to you, but it matters to Harry and me. I won't lie to him for you." She was yelling by now. Her face was contorted with anger and she was steaming.

"Ginny, you don't understand! It's dangerous for you, me, Harry, Ron, and everyone else that you care about. I know that you don't want to lie to him, but I don't think you're actually going to be lying. I know that you're scared. I can see it I your eyes and in the way you talk and avoid certain questions. Believe me, I know. If you don't want to admit it and endanger us all, that's your choice. I could care less." I was yelling now, too. I stalked out of the tent steaming with anger, not sure what had just happened.

**GINNY'S POV: **

The nerve of Hermione, asking me to lie to Harry! I would never do that! Besides, these expeditions were helping us to defeat Voldemort. I was still steaming as I made my way over to Harry's tent. Unfortunately, I found it empty. I was going to go ask Hermione if she knew where he was, but then I remembered that I was upset with her. On my way out, I ran into Ron, and decided to ask him where Harry was.

"Ron, do you know where Harry is?" I asked.

"He's over by that big tree on the edge of camp sulking." Said Ron. He looked a little put off and I couldn't understand why.

I ran out of the tent and called over my shoulder to Ron, "Thanks!"

I walked out to the big tree. As Ron had said, Harry was there. He had his hands in his pocket and was kicking a rock around. I tentatively walked up. Harry heard me approaching and he whirled around to face me.

"Hello, Ginny. Haven't seen you since we got here." He looked upset and with every step towards her, he kicked the rock harder.

"Harry, are you alright? You seem…upset." I said uneasily.

He closed the distance between us, no longer kicking the rock and took my hands in his. "It's nothing." he said. He still seemed distant, but I didn't know why. We were safe and in a new place. Everything was going to be fine.

"Harry, what's wrong?" I said. He was silent. He was also avoiding my eyes. "Please tell me." I tried again. His face was a mask; a mix of sorrow, and anger. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. "I…I was just afraid that you were going to get hurt, that's all." It seemed genuine, but I knew that it wasn't the reason. I motioned for him to come with me and we went to sit under the tree. He put his arm around me and I leaned my head on his chest.

"We were so close." He said. "We could have found where he was, but we couldn't. We failed and it's all my fault." He clenched his fist and cursed under his breath.

"Harry, it will be fine! We can go back and try again. It will all work out." I tried to reassure him. His face clouded over with anger again.

"No, Ginny, don't you see? We've tried everywhere we can think of to look and we are no closer than we were when we started. I'm done, Ginny, I'm done. I can't do it anymore. Dumbledore was supposed to be here to help us and he's dead. I have no family left. There's nothing left for me here." He was yelling and crying now. He turned his head away.

"Harry, you do have something left. You have someone who loves you and hopes that, one day, we can be together forever." I said softly.

He turned to look at me. "Who?" he said. His eyes were downcast.

"Me." I whispered.

Harry looked at me with longing in his eyes, like he wanted the world to disappear and it just to be us. Before I knew what was happening, he leaned towards me and our lips met in a soft kiss. Our sorrows melted away as our lips moved together as one. We broke apart for just a second then we pulled back together. Harry lips felt like they belonged against mine, like we were supposed to be together.

I knew right then and there that I loved him. I didn't know how he felt about me, but I knew how I felt about him. What I did know was that he would protect me with his life no matter what the circumstances and I knew that these missions were important to him. I settled against him as we sat there under the tree, hoping that it wouldn't be too late to save the wizarding world.

**So, I know that the end of the chapter was definitely fluffy, but it was hard to write and I hope you enjoyed it. I will try to update sooner next time, but next week we will be in Disney for Spring Break! So, until next time**


	12. Chapter 12

**RON'S POV:**

As soon as Ginny found Harry, I went to find Hermione. We needed to talk. She was amazing and I didn't know how to tell her. I didn't even know if she felt the same way. I knew that I would always protect her and that she would always come first.

I walked into her and Ginny's tent and saw her sitting there. She was crying. When she saw me, she turned towards the wall.

"Hermione? Are you ok?" I asked.

"No, Ronald, I'm not ok." She said.

Yikes, when she used my real name I knew she was upset. I tentatively went over and sat next to her on the bed. She looked startled, but she turned around and threw her arms around me.

"Oh, Ron! It's terrible! This is dangerous. We need to stay hidden for awhile and stop these missions. I asked Ginny to side with me today because I knew Harry would listen and she got mad and accused me of asking her to lie to Harry. She's mad and I'm confused. I don't know what to do." She said. She was crying harder now.

What was I going to do? These missions were helping us to defeat Voldemort. Sure, there had been a couple close calls, but in the end, it would all be worth it. Right? Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.

"Hermione," I said.

"Yes?" she said.

"I'll side with you." I finished. I breathed a sigh of relief. There, I had said it.

"You will?" she asked. "Really?"

"Yes, I will." I said.

"Oh, Ron, thank you so much! I'll never forget this! She hugged me tighter and then she pulled back and started wiping her eyes.

"Wait, Hermione. There's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well…I…the thing is…I like you, Hermione, I really do." I said.

"You…you like me? You really do?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but I've never known how to tell you. I've always liked you, Hermione. You're…amazing, beautiful, and smart. If anything ever happened to you I don't know what I would do." I said. I took a deep breath. There, I had done it. I told her.

"Ron, I don't know what to say. I've always liked you, too. There have been times when I've been afraid that you hated me, but, in the end, you've always pulled through. I'm so glad that we are out in the open now." She said. She smiled warmly and took a step towards me.

"Hermione, there's something else." I said.

"What is it, Ron?" she asked. She looked a little worried; like she was afraid I had bad news.

"Hermione, I don't like you." I paused and took a deep breath. Hermione sucked in a breath. "Hermione, I love you. I love you so much. You may not even understand how much I love you, but I do." I finished. I looked at Hermione and she smiled at me.

I stepped another step closer to her. I reached my hands towards hers and held them gingerly in my mine. She closed the gap between us and I looked down at her. I leaned down and captured her lips in mine. Our lips moved together. Even Lavender could never live up to a Hermione kiss.

As we broke apart, we both looked at each other and smiled.

Meanwhile, outside of the tent, Ginny and Harry were listening.

"Finally." Ginny said.

Harry grabbed her hand and they ran off laughing while Hermione and I savored this moment together.

**Very short, I know! This chapter is important because Hermione and Ron finally admitted their feelings for each other. I really appreciate reviews, so please take the time to review! Thanks for staying with this story**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey again, readers! I just wanted to clear something up. In recent chapters I have eluded to the fact that Ron and Hermione have never kissed. The fact is, they have and I knew that, but when I was writing this story it slipped my mind. So, what I was trying to say writing these past few chapters was that they haven't kissed since the battle in Hogwarts.****Anyways, I hope you are enjoying the story. The last few chapters have been sort of fluffy, but I'm ready to write some more action in. Enjoy!**

**GINNY'S POV:**

"Get ready, Harry. Hermione has Ron on her side now." I said. A confrontation between me and Hermione was one thing, but when we were divided 2 and 2, things could get bad.

"Harry, Ginny, we need to talk. These missions are dangerous and they need to be stopped." Hermione said.

"We know, Hermione. We know how you feel, but I just don't see how you can tell me to stop." Harry said.

"You could get yourself killed, Harry! You could get us all killed! Then how would we help?" Harry glared at her. "Don't give me that look, Harry. You know that I'm right, but you just won't admit it." Hermione said.

"Oi, give it a rest, Hermione. You know he won't stop! He's doing all he can to help the wizarding world and you just argue with him. It's slowing us down. If you have such a problem with this, then why don't you just leave?" I said.

"What did you just say?" Hermione asked me.

"She said to leave. If you can't handle it and all you want to do is argue, then leave. You're slowing us down." Harry said.

"Wait to tell her nicely, mate." Ron said. "Come on, Hermione. Obviously, we're not wanted here."

He took her hand and they walked away. A few minutes later, I heard two cracks and they were gone.

"What did we do, Harry?" I asked him.

"I don't know, Ginny, but we'll have to get along without them." Harry said.

I was crestfallen. I was confused on what had just gone down between us. Harry wrapped a reassuring arm around my shoulders.

"Come on, Ginny. We need to plan." Harry said.

"Wait, what about my parents. We should tell them that Ron and Hermione left." I said.

"That's true. Come on, let's go find them." Harry said.

We found them sitting in their tent talking. When they heard us approach, they turned around to face us.

"What's wrong Ginny, dear?" Mum asked me.

"It's Ron and Hermione." Harry said quickly.

"What about them? Are they alright?" Dad asked.

"Well, they….they left. They're gone and I don't know where they went." I said.

"What do you mean gone? Oh, Arthur, Ronald is gone, and dear Hermione, too! What will we do?" Mum cried.

"I'm sure they will be ok. Hermione is a very level-headed girl. Let's not worry." Dad said.

"I'm just shocked, that's all. I just can't believe that they left." I said.

I took Harry's hand and we walked out of their tent as they continued talking.

"We have to find them. We need Hermione and Ron. Ron is good with his wand and Hermione is the smartest. We can't do this without them." I said.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. What about your parents, Ginny?" Harry asked me.

"We need to leave. It's the best thing for all of us." I said. My heart felt like it was broken into a million pieces. How could I leave my parents? Would they be okay without us?

A single tear ran down my cheek. Harry reached over and used his thumb to wipe the tear away. "It'll be ok, Ginny. One day, this will all be over. I'll make sure of it." He kissed my cheek gently. "I love you, Ginny." Harry told me.

My insides melted. "I…I love you, too, Harry." I said. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him gently. His arms snaked around my waist as the kiss intensified. We kissed for a few minutes before we broke apart, both of us breathing heavily. "We should go, Harry." I said breathlessly.

"Let's go, Ginny." Harry said.

We packed up my tent and put it into Hermione's beaded bag that she had left behind. We also packed the essentials, including a few books and other odds and ends. I hand-wrote a note to my parents explaining why we were leaving and saying good-bye in case we never returned. That night, I went into my parents tent a placed a soft kiss on each of their foreheads. I sat the note on their bed and then left. Tears stung my eyes as we disapparated. We ended up in a densely forested area. Harry set up the necessary protective charms while I set up camp. We were officially alone.

As I was lighting a candle inside the tent, I felt warm arms encircle my waist. I smiled and I leaned back into his arms.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked me. I hesitated before I answered. "Yes…no…I don't know." I said. "This all seems so wrong, moving on without Ron and Hermione and my parents. Speaking of Ron and Hermione, do you think that they are okay?"

Harry sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. Ron and Hermione can take care of themselves, really." He paused before continuing speaking. "We can only hope." He whispered. "We can only hope."

**Very, very short, I know! Honestly, I'm stuck and I don't know what to write. Hopefully, this batch of writer's block will clear out and I can have some good material. Thanks for staying with this story!**


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